The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
John 1:14 MSG
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This is the wonderful description of the connection God desires. He walked the earth and understood the neighborhood. God is more glorious than a blazing sunrise. The CREATOR wants intimate one-on-one time with you and me. Stop and think about that for awhile.
As a creative person, an artist of any type, does this strike a chord with you? Look at your photos, your blog posts, the beads you make, the pots you throw, the songs you create, the poems you pen. How important is it to have God a central part in your creativity?
Do you see your art as worship?
If you are writing a fiction or non-fiction book hoping to be published with a Christian publishing company, you are at least reading the Bible. How about those of you who are Faith-based believers, but your clientele is more on the secular side? Are you the abstract artist selling with other local artisan, or maybe a vocalist who shares her tunes in the coffee shop?
God is interested in you and your art.
Why?
As you create, you express the relationship between you and THE CREATOR.
Think about this,–as a FAITH-BASED artist, no matter where your items land, don’t you want the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through you, and therefore through your art? If so, do you want to be surrounded by like-minded people who sometimes get stuck, want encouragement, have victories, will rejoice with yours and/or are ready to pray if needed?
It is a bold, brave step to take a deeper walk with God into our creativity. Uncomfortable questions may come to the surface. i.e:
Does God really care about my painting?
I am writing a travel blog about my backpacking adventures. Does God fit in my writing?
My poetry is read in a coffee shop. The poems are secular. Does God care? Do I have to change if I ask Him into this?
Sacred art…? My art/writing is about Social Justice. How does God come into that?
Comparison is hard. Production is necessary, isn’t it? How can God really care about me in the business of creativity? The two don’t really mix.
God, do you really care about me???
VERY GOOD QUESTIONS!
The upcoming devotions make space for you to bring these questions before God. You can pretend none of this matters, but do you allow God into your ART?
Come to God. RECEIVE the gifts He has to offer.
REFLECT upon the words you receive as you spend time and meditate.
RESPOND in your unique genre.
A quote from Emily P. Freeman’s book describes the adventure.
“This is a longing for truth, for love, for God, and to honestly relate with others from the depths of who I most fully am. “1
Let’s go on an adventure.
1Emily P. Freeman, A Million Little Ways (Grand Rapids: Revell, 2013),48.
Great thoughts!! Thank you for sharing!!
I am hoping the devotions to will benefit readers in their walk and creativity. Thanks.